Boronates, the anionic counterpart of boronic acids, are known to bind carbohydrates via reversible ester formation, with apparent displacement constants (Kd's) of approximately 0.1-20 mM, which make them suitable for measuring glucose and other carbohydrates in the physiologically relevant range (Shinkai and Takeuchi, Trends Anal. Chem. 1996, 15, 188). However, since simple phenylboronic acid displays a pKa value of approximately 8.5, the formation of phenylboronates of carbohydrates is unfavoured under physiological conditions (pH 7.4). Accordingly, the binding of carbohydrates to phenylboronic acid is weak under physiological conditions. A stronger binding of carbohydrates at pH values around 7.4 can be achieved with boronic acids having a lower pKa, for example with phenyl boronic acids having electron-withdrawing groups in the aromatic ring (Eggert et al., J. Org. Chem. 1999, 64, 3846), or by introducing a 2-aminomethyl substituent, which locks boron in a tetrahedral state via B—N interaction (Bielecki, Eggert and Norrild, J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans 2 1999, 449). 
The sulfonyl functional group is strongly electron-withdrawing, and it can furthermore function as a handle, because e.g. sulfonate halides can be coupled to other molecules. However, although sulfonyl halides of aryl boronic acids would be useful intermediates in organic synthesis such compounds and methods for their preparation have not been described in literature.